Gråsten Castle

 

Gråsten Castle, first mentioned in 1648, is one of Queen Margrethe's summer residenses. It was a favorite of her parents', King Frederik and Queen Ingrid.

 

Looking through one of the enormous hedgerows.

The park is public and filled with all kinds of flowers. It's simply a stunning place.

 

Møgeltønder Church Dome

Højer Mill

The beautiful Dutch mill at Højer.

Dybbøl

In the war of 1864, great battles were fought here.

The legendary mill at Dybbøl.

Parts of old German war monuments. This part of Denmark was part of Germany from 1864 to the reunion in 1920.

Sunset at Nr. Lyngby

Ebeltoft

The frigate "Jylland" is the world's biggest wooden warship. It was in its prime at the Battle of Helgoland in 1864. Today it's a museum.

The famous town hall in Ebeltoft. Popular for weddings.

Meilgaard Castle

The beautiful Meilgaard Castle on Djursland between Fjellerup and Bønnerup. It's from 1573. Today, the old horse barn has been converted into the most charming restaurant.

Rubjerg Lighthouse

A magical sunset at Rubjerg Lighthouse.

 

 

The lighthouse has been half swallowed by the sand dunes, and before long it will tumble into the sea.

 

Tange Lake

Tange Lake.

Anchors

Anchors at a museum in Thorsminde for stranded ships. The west coast has claimed the lives of many sailors whose ships stranded there, not least the British ship, St. George, which stranded near Thorsminde Christmas night 1811. Another British ship, the Defence, suffered the same fate the same night at the same place. Between 1300 and 1400 lives were lost. Only 17 survived. 

The museum is named after St. George.

Vissing Church

Interior of Vissing Church.

Vejrum Church

Vejrum Church.

The interior.

Trans

Trans Church. It's another of the west coast churches that the ocean (due to erosion) will claim sooner or later.

Efforts to stop the erosion. Pretty, too.

The beach at Trans.

The Jelling Runic Stones

The Jelling Runic Stones are on Unesco's World Heritage List. The smallest one was erected by King Gorm the Old in memory of his wife, Thyra. This one, the biggest, is called Denmark's Certificate of Babtism and was erected by King Harald Bluetooth. 

The inscription says "King Harald ordered this monument to be made in memory of Gorm, his father, and Thyra, his mother. The Harald who won all Denmark and Norway and christened the Danes." The last sentence is placed below the oldest picture of Christ in the Northern countries, hence the certificate of babtism.

Jelling Church

Jelling Church seen from one of the mounds (the one on the other side of the church held the grave of Danish king Gorm the Old until he was reburied inside the church). The church, the mounds, and the runic stones (see post above) are on Unesco's World Heritage List.  

The frescoes, clearly inspired by Byzantine art, are copies of the first frescoes in Denmark.

Bække Church

Bække Church from approximately 1150.

Tørring Church

Tørring Church.

Knud's Lake

Knud's Lake at Ry. The clouds dominate, though. Windy, rainy days can be pretty, too.

Børglum Abbey

Børglum Abbey is from 1060. For a brief period, Augustine monks lived here, but pretty soon the Premonstratensian order took over and stayed there until the Reformation in 1536. The abbey played a central role in national and European politics for centuries. Today it's privately owned.

Brother Eskild greets visitors at the entrance to the old herb garden.

The church is from 1100-1200.

The altarpiece.

The organ.

The fifteenth century crucifix.

Børglum Mill

The Old Mill at Børglum Abbey.